RANDY BLYTHE Visits Prague Prison Where He Lived For More Than A Month
LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe returned to the U.S. last week after it was announced in a Czech Republic court his trial would be delayed.
Blythe's defense team asked for the delay because a key witness was sick, according to The Prague Post reporter Jonathan Crane who is helping cover the trial for WTVR.com. The defense team wanted that witness to testify in person.
The singer is being allowed to stay in the U.S. until his trial resumes on March 4. He indicated in court that he would definitely return to Prague next month.
Blythe is facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a May 2010 incident in which a fan, Daniel Nosek, who attended aLAMB OF GOD performance in Prague, died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage.
The parents of the alleged victim, Daniel Nosek, are demanding compensation of 10 million Czech Koruna (approximately $530,000).
In a series of postings on his Instagram account earlier today (Tuesday, February 12), Blythe wrote: "I am back in Richmond, Virginia here in the U.S. of A., and I am certainly glad to see my home and friends here. But I shall return to Prague for the end of my trial, March 4 and 5. Hopefully it will finally be settled.
"The judge told me I did not have to return for the end of the trial, but my head and my heart will remain in Prague until I see this thing through.
"Prague has built a strange place for itself in my heart. It is a beautiful place, one I have gotten to know rather well, and even love to a degree. But it is a city of contrasts for me, for I see Prague's beauty through a lens of tragedy.
"The city and what brought me there will always remain with me for the rest of my life. I must pay attention to the nature of this dichotomy, and learn its lesson, no matter what happens.
"Nothing has just one side to it, and I believe it is a mistake to judge things immediately by exterior appearances alone. For example, take this clock. Prague has many, many, many towers and clocks, including the astronomical one in Old Town Square. The astronomical clock is one of the coolest clocks I have ever seen. People from all over the world gather every hour to watch it strike the hour, with all its mechanized statues popping out and spinning around. It's basically a gigantic version of the world's coolest cuckoo clock. Prague has many other cool clock towers as well.
"Someone might look at this tired old clock and say, 'Ugh! Tear that thing down! Why would you have that clock when there are so many others here that are so pretty?' But to me, this clock is beautiful. It holds a strange place in my heart, like Prague itself. The clock is beautiful to me because in there, in Pankrác Prison, it was the only way I had to tell time for a long while.
"After my last day in court recently, my wife, a friend, and I took the subway over to Pankrác. I needed to see it, to take pictures, to look at what was my home for over a month. It was a strange feeling returning there, and I think some wouldn't do it.
"I don't know. My trial is not over yet. I could return to a cell behind these walls. But I just wanted to see the place. The outside is nothing like the inside; once again, the dichotomy of my life in Prague.
"This is a beautiful row of birch trees planted alongside the outer wall of this 123-year-old prison. On the other side is another world.
"We walked the entire perimeter of the prison, through neighborhoods with nice gated houses and grim-looking apartment high rises. I kept looking for my cell until I found it. It is the tiny square you see in the middle of this picture. That was my last cell, on the top floor, where I could look out and see where I took this picture from. I used to stare at the apartment building I took this picture from and wonder what was happening in there. Most of the time, I was in the basement, though, and the view from my cell window looked something like this picture, without as much sky. Without much of a view, I had to look inside myself. Dichotomy.
"Pankrác is a grim place, but I kept my spirits up in there. If I felt sorry for myself, I quickly reminded myself that there are many in the world who would be grateful to have the food I had, to escape a war-torn homeland in exchange for three hits and a cot, even in a prison for a bit.
"Suddenly being thrown into a foreign prison wasn't fun, but it wasn't the worst thing that could happen to a man. I had food, clothes, and shelter.
"Remain grateful for what you DO have, not resentful over what you DON'T.
"We finished walking and got on a subway back to the center of Prague.
"I was glad I came to look at the prison. I would love to have a camera in there — it's amazing inside, in a really messed up way.
"I do not know what the future holds for me. Maybe I will return to behind these walls, but I do know that I have to do the right thing as my conscience dictates. For me, that is going back to finish the trial, as I said I would.
"The family of the young man who is dead is in court every day, along with mine. They have shown remarkable kindness by not attacking me in the press or anywhere else. It must be very difficult for them to look at my face, regardless of my guilt or innocence. They have behaved honorably, and so shall I. I will do my best to give them the answers they deserve.
"I ask people not to judge the family of this young man for wanting these answers. Their family has lost a son. Who would not want answers? I'm not so sure I would have displayed the class and reserve they have if the tables were turned.
"Remember, no story has just one side. Try to look at everything from different angles, to not make snap judgements. Put yourself in another's shoes for a second. Otherwise we all just remain in a prison of our own making.
"Thanks for all your support. I will put up some cheerier pictures soon, I promise."
HALESTORM Singer OK With 'Short Skirts And High Heels'
According to The Pulse Of Radio, singer and guitarist Lzzy Hale of theGrammy-winning hard rock bandHALESTORM spoke with Playboy.com about using her sex appeal to sell the band and the focus on image in the music industry. Hale remarked, "I don't mind dressing up and doing the short skirt and high heels thing . . . the only stipulation that I have about this is that you have to make sure you have something to back it up. You can't totally ride on the fact that I'm going to show my legs and people are going to show attention. If they can get past the legs, make sure you can actually sing and be good at your instruments."
Hale added, "Sex and rock 'n' roll have been going together hand-in-hand since the beginning of time. You can't get away from it."
The vocalist told The Pulse Of Radio that she believes it can be too easy sometimes for female musicians to rely solely on their looks. "Actually, I've been encouraging a lot of people to challenge us, and make sure that when you're reading these articles or you're seeing us in magazines or something, that you go and you check us out live, or you go and you sample a CD, something like that," she said. "If people start doing that and don't just look at us because we're a quote-unquote pretty face, or scantily clad — I think if more people were looking beyond that, it would make us step up a little bit."
Hale also said that she's pleased to see the percentage of females in HALESTORM's audience growing, explaining, "I see all of these girls who are not there because their boyfriends dragged them along, you know? They're very empowered, a little crazy like me, and it's wonderful to be in a room like that because when we first started out there weren't a whole lot of girls at the rock shows unless you count the girlfriends of somebody in the band."
HALESTORM won the Grammy Award for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" on Sunday night (February 10) for the song "Love Bites (So Do I)", beating out veteran acts like IRON MAIDEN and MARILYN MANSON.
The group continues to hit the trail in support of its second album, last year's "The Strange Case Of..." They'll join headliners BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE on this year's edition of the "HardDrive Live" tour, which kicks off on April 12 in Denver and runs through late May.
BUCKCHERRY: Entire 'Confessions' Album Available For Streaming
"Confessions", the sixth studio album from Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY, is available for streaming in its entirety at this location. Due on February 13, the disc will be BUCKCHERRY's first domestic release with new label Century Media Records. The CD will be made available viaEleven Seven Music in other parts of the world.
According to the Dropping The Needle podcast, the Japanese edition of"Confessions" will include two bonus tracks: "Wherever I Go" (from"Avengers Assemble") and a live version of "Rescue Me". The domestic deluxe edition will contain the bonus cuts "Give 'Em What They Want"and "When The Fire Starts" as well as a DVD featuring the newly released "Gluttony" music video, "On The Set: Gluttony Video Shoot","The Story Behind Confessions" and the original "Gluttony" lyric video.
All configurations of the album will include the following track listing:
01. Gluttony
02. Wrath
03. Nothing Left But Tears
04. The Truth
05. Greed
06. Water
07. Seven Ways To Die
08. Air
09. Sloth
10. Pride
11. Envy
12. Lust
13. Dreamin' Of You
The "Gluttony" video can be seen below. The clip was shot in November in Los Angeles, with the band putting out an open casting call for fans to appear in the video.
"It's just about trying to control your behavior," BUCKCHERRY singerJosh Todd tells Loudwire about "Gluttony". "They always say that you have to do everything in moderation and that's never been my experience. One is okay, two is better, three is fantastic and four is the best. I want to consume everything, I want to go big or go home. I'm either on 11 or I'm asleep."
He continued: "That's my problem, that's my struggle, trying to moderate — that's what 'Gluttony' is about. It's like, 'I want it, I need it, I love it' and everything that feels good to me, I want to overdo it. It's just who I am and I don't understand why I can't do it."
"Confessions" is a loose concept album that revolves around the notion of the seven deadly sins and is inspired by events in Todd's childhood.
Todd has helped co-write a short film that will come out later in the year and expand upon the record's themes. It's not clear yet how the film will be distributed.
Todd said that "Confessions" is "definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic. It's pretty intense, but everybody's gonna love it. It's quintessential BUCKCHERRY at the end of the day."
The band will join KID ROCK as special guests on his upcoming "Rebel Soul" tour, beginning February 2 in Kansas City, Missouri.
ROB ZOMBIE: New Album Cover Artwork Unveiled; Audio Sample Of First Single Available
The eagerly awaited new ROB ZOMBIE album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", will be released on April 23 on Zodiac Swan/T-Boy/Ume. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette, who has previously worked with everyone from BLACK SABBATH and ALICE COOPER toWILSON PHILLIPS and LYNYRD SKYNYRD.
The "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" cover artwork can be seen below. Also available is an audio sample of the CD's first single, "Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town".
"I think for the first time this new album perfectly merges the old days ofWHITE ZOMBIE with the future of what I am doing now," says Rob. "I think fans of both will agree that this is the perfect combo of both worlds."
A rock icon and auteur filmmaker with insight and unlimited vision, Rob Zombie has continuously challenged audiences as he stretches the boundaries of music, film, and publishing. Now, the seven-time Grammy-nominated recording artist releases his fifth solo album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", which includes "Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town", along with such tracks as "Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga", "Lucifer Rising", "Behold! The Pretty Filthy Creatures" and a heavy-duty cover of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's "We're an American Band".
"Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" is the first release on Rob's new label, Zodiac Swan, through T-Boy Records/UMe.
Zombie told The Pulse Of Radio what goals he set for himself in making the new album. "I wanted someone to hear it and go, 'Wow, I haven't heard that before,'" he said. "I wanted it to be just different. We really went out of our way with the sounds, so every song has a very different sound, a very different guitar sound, drum sound, just everything, where the sound, the actual sound becomes very important. You know, after all these years you want to still try to feel that you can break through new, creative areas in your own mind, and that's really what we're just trying to do, you know."
T-Boy Records is veteran rock manager Andy Gould's new partnership with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) which will serve as an umbrella label releasing new music and albums from established iconic hard-rock bands with major followings.
Gould, who currently heads his own Spectacle Entertainment Group, has managed Rob Zombie since his days in WHITE ZOMBIE. Gould's track record includes sales exceeding fifteen million worldwide and sevenGrammy nominations with Zombie, including securing deals for Zombieto become one of only a handful of people to have unprecedented success for six feature films as the writer and director.
"We have had a great deal of success in the past with Rob Zombie," explains Gould about his decision to take the new venture to UMe. "We want to sign rock bands with brand names that do good business on the road, and have been underserved by the major label system. The idea I had arose out of discussions with the other managers of major hard-rock acts who all felt their artists could benefit from an improved label experience. We're looking to super-serve this niche audience, which is tremendously loyal, and is often even larger internationally than here in the States."
As a musician, Rob Zombie has sold over fifteen million albums worldwide to date. His last studio album was "Hellbilly Deluxe 2". The CD came a decade after its predecessor, "Hellbilly Deluxe", the album that established Zombie as a solo artist after the breakup of multi-platinum group WHITE ZOMBIE. That triple-platinum album also yielded a string of successful radio singles, namely "Dragula", "Superbeast" and "Living Dead Girl", which dominated the airwaves.
The rocker-turned-film director is the only artist to experience unprecedented success in both music and film as the writer/director of five feature films, with a worldwide gross totaling more than $100 million dollars. The week of his album release, Zombie will premiere his sixth motion picture, "The Lords Of Salem", that he wrote, directed and produced in tandem with the producers of the "Paranormal Activity"franchise, on April 26, with Anchor Bay Films.
Last year, in addition to working on his film, Zombie also dominated the touring world in 2012, blowing away audiences on the road withMEGADETH, then with MARILYN MANSON for the "Twins Of Evil Tour".Zombie and his band of maniacs — John 5 on guitar, Piggy D on bass and Ginger Fish on drums — brought their elaborate, multi-media production, complete with hair-raising theatrics, animatronic robots, oversized LED screens, a non-stop collage of psychotronic monster film clips, a spectacular light show, a gigantic robot with flames shooting out of its body, pyrotechnics, insane guitar riffs and vicious beats to audiences and festivals around the world.
ANTHRAX: Video For Cover Version Of RUSH's 'Anthem' Available
"Anthems", ANTHRAX's long-awaited, eight-track EP that pays tribute to the classic songs by some of the band's favorite acts from the 1970s, will be released in North America on March 19 (MRI/Megaforce), and on March 22 in Europe (Nuclear Blast).
The video for ANTHRAX's cover of RUSH's "Anthem" can be viewed below.
Said ANTHRAX vocalist Joey Belladonna, "These are all bands I grew up with and have listened to forever. It's just great music. I had fun singing these songs and I was happy recording together with ANTHRAX, doing classic rock songs. Fun stuff!"
On BOSTON's "Smokin'", ANTHRAX brought in a special guest to play keyboards — Fred Mandel, who has played with ALICE COOPER, QUEEN,ELTON JOHN, CHEAP TRICK, SUPERTRAMP and on PINK FLOYD's "The Wall". About the track, drummer Charlie Benante said, "If ever there were a perfect first album, it's BOSTON's first album. The harmony leads they did would later be heard by IRON MAIDEN, which, of course, would lead to thrash metal."
"It was a lot of fun, especially because a lot of those [songs] aren't, I guess, normal for us or like so much of our repertoire — although they are because they're songs we all knew," guitarist Scott Ian told Billboard.com. "Maybe on paper the idea of us doing something like that seems weird, until you hear them and then it makes sense. And Joey's performance on the JOURNEY song, specifically, really blows my mind. Someone mentioned that [JOURNEY guitarist] Neal Schon better not hear this or we might lose our singer." ANTHRAX also also laid down a cover version of BLACK SABBATH's "Neon Knights" for the upcoming Ronnie James Dio tribute album which is being assembled by the singer's widow and longtime manager Wendy Dio.
Asked how the band selected which songs to cover, Ian said, "Like everything else, it's kind of like someone says a song and everyone else is like, 'Yeah, that's a good one.' It's really as simple as that. It's songs that in some shape or form we've been playing or jamming on for our whole lives. Because you really don't wanna have to work too hard on these things, although the RUSH song is a bit of a bitch; I can't say that's an easy one. But it's a song we all know and we're all familiar with, so then, of course, you take on the challenge of just really trying to nail it and do it justice."
According to ANTHRAX, they paid particular attention to the cover ofRUSH's "Anthem" in order to recreate the nuances of the original song.
"I have to get every little part of Geddy [Lee, RUSH bassist/vocalist] down, 'cause I'm a fanatic with that stuff, and I have to," bassist Frank Bello said. "It's great. I love it."
Added Scott: "Charlie [Benante, ANTHRAX drummer] bumped into [RUSH drummer] Neil Peart at the [Revolver] Golden Gods Awards a few months ago, and Neil actually said to Charlie, 'Yeah, we heard you guys are covering 'Anthem'. That's so cool. We put the clip of you playing drums [to the song] up on our web site.' And Charlie, I swear to God, he was like, the light, the glow that was coming off him after that was… I'd never seen anything quite like it."
The "Anthems" EP will be available on CD as well as digitally via iTunesand other online retailers. In addition to "Anthems"' cover art, Benanteand artist Stephen Thompson have subtly redesigned each track's original album cover art to "Anthrax" it. The "Anthems" EP will first be housed in one of the "re-imagined" digipak covers, and then inserted inside the main CD cover sleeve. The main cover sleeve has been designed in such a way so fans will be able to see which one of the six "re-imagined" covers is inside.
"Anthems" was produced by ANTHRAX, Jay Ruston and Rob Caggianoand recorded for the most part throughout 2012 literally all over the world: at Benante's home studio, in Ruston's New York studio, on the band's tour bus while on last summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, in hotel rooms, and backstage at their Berlin show last December.
The Grammy-nominated ANTHRAX will hit the road in support"Anthems" on February 16 with dates in India and Australia, and then return to North America to headline the Metal Alliance Tour that kicks off March 22. For all of these dates, ANTHRAX will be joined by SHADOWS FALL guitarist Jon Donais.
Source: Blabbermouth.net
Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez Talks “Darker” Songs on The Afterman: Descension
Last week, Coheed and Cambria released the second installment of their concept double album, The Afterman. Frontman Claudio Sanchez says that the music from The Afterman: Descension, the latest chapter of their continuing Amory Wars sci-fi saga, is a bit different from the first installment, The Afterman: Ascension.
“Descension is the descent of Sirius [Amory],” he tells ABC News Radio. “He goes back to the planet side and he finds that in his absence his life is kinda falling apart. Sonically, it’s a bit darker but there is a great resolution when Sirius realizes at the end that there’s something he can do. I’m anxious to see what the Coheed fans think of it because I think that one’s just as special as Ascension.”
Sanchez adds that he enjoys writing music within the context of TheAmory Wars and he has no plans to make any Coheed and Cambria albums without it. “I can’t envision Coheed and Cambria without a concept,” he reveals. “It’s just kind of what I’ve become comfortable with, it’s like that’s what I do now. For me, it’s not hard and I just love to use my imagination. I spend most of my time daydreaming and it’s just natural for me.”
Coheed and Cambria is currently trekking across North America promoting The Afterman: Descension. Visit CoheedAndCambria.com to view the full itinerary.
Green Day Schedules West Coast Tour Dates, Movie Premieres
Green Day has added a few new West Coast dates to their 2013 tour, and announced premiere plans for two movies connected with the band.
The newly-added stops will be in Berkley, CA, at the Greek Theatre on April 16, and in Los Angeles at the LA Sports Arena on April 18. The band is back out on the road after they were forced to postpone tour dates last year after frontman Billie Joe Armstrongentered rehab.
Tickets for the Berkley show go on sale Friday, February 15 at noon PT; tickets for the L.A. show go on sale Friday, February 22 at 10 a.m. PT. Green Day fan club members will get first crack at seats to the Berkley show on Thursday, February 13 at noon PT.
The band also has some big film events planned. ¡Cuatro! -- the documentary chronicling the making of Green Day's latest trilogy of albums -- will be featured at the 20th Anniversary South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX. The SXSW Film Festival will also be the venue for the premiere of Broadway Idiot, director Doug Hamilton's documentary about the making of the Broadway musicalAmerican Idiot.
For the complete list of Green Day tour dates, visit GreenDay.com.
Muse to Stream Shepherd’s Bush Empire Concert Live on YouTube
Muse has announced that the band's February 18 performance at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London will be streamed live on YouTube. The show begins at 9:30 p.m. in London, 4:30 p.m. ET in the U.S., and you'll be able to watch it at www.YouTube.com/warchildmuse.
The show is a benefit for the War Child charity that is celebrating its 20th anniversary of aiding children in need. Muse will also perform on February 20 at the BRIT Awards. The band is nominated for Best British Group and Best Live Act at the Brits, which are the U.K. equivalent to the Grammys.
In other Muse news, the band has also made history as the single “Madness” has remained at number one for 19 weeks on the Billboard Alternative Songs radio airplay chart, according to the magazine, breaking the record of 18 weeks set by Foo Fighters' “The Pretender” in 2007.
